Lego Universe free-to-play out in August

The LEGO group have announced that they will release a free-to-play version of the block-building MMO in August, giving players free and unlimited access to two "adventure zones." Players will have to pay a monthly subscription fee to get access to the whole game, but for now Lego Universe will remain free of micro-transactions.

The official statement from The LEGO Group says that the free-to-play version of Lego Universe will offer "a limited selection of game content, including two adventure zones and one player property area for building their own virtual LEGO models.

"Paying members will have access to all areas in the full game, along with membership benefits such as competitions and community events. In addition to the 15+ robust adventure zones and instances as well as 5+ property worlds currently in-game."

"Access to new expansions, like major Ninjago content coming later this year, will require players to register for full membership," they add.

Come August, the game will only be available as a digital download, so there's no initial charge to get hold of the game client. If you're thinking about giving the game a go when the free-to-play version arrives, find out more in our Lego Universe review , or check out the Lego Universe site .